Father Christmas has a hard time of it. In a cost of living crisis, the elves struggle to afford top-notch toy-making materials, and there is strong resistance to using plastic amid the climate crisis. Nonetheless, the wishlists remain the same: teddies, model cars, jewellery, games. What is the person in charge of presents to do?
A YouGov poll last year found more than half of parents planned to spend in excess of £90 a child on Christmas presents. And yet, as research by toy subscription service Whirli found, approximately 26% of Christmas toys – a jaw-dropping 25 million – are neglected by the end of January in the UK alone. What’s more, almost 80% of toys – much of them plastic – will eventually end up in landfill, incinerators or the ocean.
